Kidney Punch

End of life – it isn’t so easy

John Pickering • Sep 28, 2020

• End of Life Choice Act,
• Euthanasia,
• referrendum

In a few weeks, New Zealanders will make a choice whether we implement into law the End of Life Choice Act 2019.  My scientific expertise includes developing and validating methods to predict future events of ill people including death. There is one section of the Act that concerns me deeply. Section 5(1)c of the End of Life … Read More

Cheesecake Files: Machine learning heart attacks

John Pickering • Aug 21, 2019

• algorithm,
• artificial intelligence,
• diagnostics,
• Heart Attack,
• machine learning,
• Myocardial Infarction

“Machine learning” rates very high on the buzz-word scale, right up there with “nano-technology” and “blockchain”. Like most buzz it is more noise than substance. However, every now and again it looks like there might be something in the noise that bites. This episode of the Cheesecake Files1 is about testing an algorithm (another buzz word) developed through a … Read More

Dark space

John Pickering • Jun 24, 2019

• artificial light,
• blue light,
• dark space,
• matariki,
• Pleiades,
• stars

Dark space, like green space, is essential for our well being. Dark space, like green space, is our past, our taonga, and our right. Dark space, unlike green space, is not prioritised in our city plans, is not part of our conversation about Te Tiriti, nor is it where we go for relaxation and inspiration. But once it was. Read More

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Performance Based Research Fund: The numbers are up

John Pickering • May 01, 2019

• PBRF,
• research funding,
• TEC,
• universities

8269 academics and their bosses have been alerted – the data is in, the numbers are crunched, PBRF scores are out. Who are the winners, who are the losers? Find out more with tec publication. But before you go there… I predict that any minute now tertiary institutions throughout … Read More

Is my science ethical?

John Pickering • Apr 12, 2019

• research ethics,
• social licence

Am I doing what the public thinks is OK to do?   That was the question that came to mind as I heard Bioethics and Health Law expert Rochelle Style speak at a Health data workshop held at the University of Otago Christchurch this week.  Rochelle spoke with clarity and demonstrated a great deal of expertise.  I like the simplicity of Law – tells … Read More

The physics of maiming a child (repost because of “those” scooters)

John Pickering • Oct 26, 2018

• children,
• footpath,
• lime scooter,
• mobility scooter,
• physics,
• scooter

Dear Driver, When you backed out of a driveway and did not even see how I swerved around behind your car to avoid T-boning you, how dare you have the temerity to tell me you were careful!  I was 7 feet tall, dressed in bright yellow and traveling at no more than 10 km/h.  Perhaps a simple lesson in physics … Read More

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Cheesecake files: A new test to rule out heart attacks in just a few minutes

John Pickering • Oct 18, 2018

• Diagnosis,
• Emergency Department,
• Heart Attack,
• hospital,
• troponin

Your chest hurts, you go to the hospital (good move), you get rushed through and a nurse takes some blood and measures the electrical activity of your heart.  A doctor asks you some questions.  While she does so, the blood is being tested – the results are back already! Yeah, they are negative and everything else is OK, it’s not a … Read More

The Treatment of Kidney Failure in New Zealand

John Pickering • Oct 16, 2018

• Dialysis,
• kidney

I am delighted to introduce a guest post from Dr Kelvin Lynn. Dr Lynn worked as a Nephrologist at Christchurch Hospital for 35 years and retired in 2015.  He is the lead author for a book just published: The Treatment of Kidney Failure in New Zealand Authors: Kelvin L Lynn, Adrian L Buttimore, Peter J Hatfield, Martin R Wallace … Read More

PBRF: The end is nigh

John Pickering • Jul 16, 2018

• h-index,
• PBRF,
• research funding

I’d like to say the end is nigh for the performance-based research fund (PBRF), full stop. A few months ago, I demonstrated how the expensive and tedious production of evidence portfolios by 7000 academic staff will do nothing to change the redistribution of research funding – the purported reason for PBRF. So, I’d like to … Read More

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More on the PBRF’s new clothes

John Pickering • Dec 21, 2017

• citation metrics,
• economics,
• Health and Medicine,
• impact factors,
• PBRF,
• Science and Society

A few of weeks ago I outed the multi-million-dollar exercise that is the Quality Evaluation component of the performance based research fund (PBRF) as a futile exercise because there was no net gain in research dollars for the NZ academic community.  Having revealed the Emperor’s new clothes, I awaited the call from the Minister in … Read More